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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 7865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02926]

[[Page 7865]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9922-16-OW]

Transfer of the California Safe Drinking Water Program From the 
California Department of Public Health to the California State Water 
Resources Control Board

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document informs the public that the California Drinking 
Water Program has been transferred from the California Department of 
Public Health to the California State Water Resources Control Board.

DATES: This transfer became effective under California legislation on 
July 1, 2014, and was certified to the EPA by the California Attorney 
General on August 7, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Luis Garcia-Bakarich, Drinking Water 
Management Section (WTR3-1); Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, 
75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California 94105; telephone number: 
(415) 972-3237; email address: garcia-bakarich.luis@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that the State of 
California enacted legislation (SB 861) that transfers to the 
California State Water Resources Control Board the authority, duties, 
powers, purposes, functions, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of the 
California Department of Public Health for the purposes of the 
administration of the California Safe Drinking Water Act programs 
effective July 1, 2014.

Background

    The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation 
of public water systems and imposes various duties and responsibilities 
for the regulation and control of drinking water in the State of 
California including enforcing provisions of the federal Safe Drinking 
Water Act. The program transfer under SB 861 included all elements of 
the approved regulatory program as well as administration of the 
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Environmental Laboratory 
Accreditation Program. An interagency agreement between the California 
State Water Resources Control Board and the California Department of 
Public Health was established for assuring the availability of drinking 
water laboratory services pursuant to 40 CFR 142.10 (b)(4).
    40 CFR 142.17(a)(1) requires the State to notify the Administrator 
of the EPA of any State-initiated program changes and of any transfer 
of all or part of its program from the approved State agency to another 
State agency. On August 7, 2014, the California Attorney General 
certified to the EPA that the ``[t]ransfer of California's authority to 
carry out the Safe Drinking Water Program from the California 
Department of Public Health to the California State Water Resources 
Control Board has been effectuated by SB 861 (Stats. 2014, ch. 35, 
Sec. Sec.  62, 63, 127, 182).'' The Attorney General's certification 
confirmed that the laws and regulations of California to carry out the 
Safe Drinking Water Program remain in effect, and further stated that 
``[i]n accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act as amended, and 40 
CFR 142.12(c)(1)(iii), the statutes and regulations of the State of 
California to carry out the Safe Drinking Water Act have been duly 
adopted and are enforceable under California law and the California 
State Constitution.''
    The Attorney General's certification further confirmed that the 
California State Water Resources Control Board has regulatory and 
enforcement authority over drinking water standards and water systems 
under California Health and Safety Code section 116271.
    The State of California was first granted primary enforcement 
responsibility for public water systems under section 1413 of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act on June 2, 1978 (43 FR 25180, June 9, 1978).

    Dated: January 30, 2015.
Michael Montgomery,
 Acting Director, Water Division, EPA Region 9.
[FR Doc. 2015-02926 Filed 2-11-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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